Denby Dale, Thurlstone, and Penistone

Denby Dale Railway Station is sited at the end of a high viaduct and so there are quite a few steps down to the main road: I walked along the road for a few minutes; it was quite dark due to the large overhanging trees. I reached the junction with the Barnsley road and soon located my path, a short section of the Dearne Way along a metalled track leading to a farm. It was a bit of a climb up to the farm through more glowering trees, but I was soon in open country; grassy fields delineated by drystone walls.

The next section led up to a prominent ridge with extensive views from the top, to the east I could see a long way today, well beyond the Aire Valley power stations; possibly as far as the Yorkshire Wolds.

I then ended up walking a bit further along a stretch of minor road than I had planned, due to a slight navigation error; I missed my intended footpath by no more than a few dozen yards. This mistake did have its bonus though; the sight of dozens of birds perched on power lines; like a short section of sheet music hanging in the sky.

I was back on course as I was walking down Green Lane, a wide track which eventually became a footpath leading across more grassy fields. I stopped to eat my sandwiches here and listen to the cricket commentary; in sight of twenty one wind turbines, some turning at various rates in the breeze, others not. I should think that there's a simple mathematical relationship between the size of the blades and the speed of rotation.

I reached another country lane which led down to Ingbirchworth Reservoir then took the southerly lane going uphill to reach the Barnsley Boundary Walk which is rated as a bridleway, but isn't up to the required standard here. Just before reaching Ingbirchworth I turned right and walked along the path which goes parallel to the bottom of the dam wall of Royd Moor Reservoir. 

A bit further on there's a folly marked on the map; I did a short detour to have a look at it - I couldn't see anything though; all I found was a farm which referred to the folly in its name...the lane was called Folly Lane too!

The path I selected went along the southern shore of the reservoir and came out onto the road above Thurlstone. I walked down into the village; there are some impressive stone-built houses there. I didn't go into the village centre though; I took a path across a couple of fields which drops down onto the main road going to Penistone. On the outskirts of the town I took a photograph of a roadside hoarding advertising a local pub; I don't know if it's clever wordplay...or if the pub was ever called 'The White Hart' at one time.

I arrived in Penistone town centre just after two buses had left for Barnsley. Since it was nearly an hour for the next one I thought I might as well get the train. I still had fifty minutes to wait for the train though (not very good scheduling of public transport there) and so looked round the shops before setting off for the station.

The train arrived on time; the Cleethorpes train was five minutes late at Meadowhall...which worked to my advantage for once.